With the substantial changes to employment and labour laws debated and passed in 2017, proposed changes to the Ontario Human Rights Code (Code) have received little attention.

However, Bill 164, Human Rights Code Amendment Act, 2017 which was introduced in the Ontario legislature on Oct. 4 and referred to the Standing Committee on Regulations and Private Bills on Oct. 26, deserves serious attention.

The bill proposes significant changes to the Code. If passed, it would add immigration status, genetic characteristics, police records and social condition as protected...